Most of us have read articles about how gentle yoga can help older adults to get flexible, stay calm and reduce stress. But, it isn’t until you meet someone whose life has been profoundly by this ancient practice that the power of gentle yoga really starts to sink in.

My guest on the Sixty and Me Show, Perley-Ann Friedman is just such a person and I can’t wait to share her story with you!

During our interview, Perley-Ann explains that, since moving to Thailand, she has incorporated yoga into every aspect of her life. She says that the practice of yoga has helped her to become stronger and more flexible on the outside.

More importantly, it has helped her to become calm and centered on the inside. She also claims that the mental clarity that she has gained through her yoga practice helps her to make decisions and deal with ambiguity.

My personal yoga journey started when I produced a series of yoga videos with Cat Kabira. As I worked through the exercises, I experienced many of the benefits that Perley-Ann described. I am definitely at a much earlier stage of my yoga journey than Perley-Ann, but, can already see the positive impact that the practice is having on my life.

I hope that my conversation with Perley-Ann inspires you to give yoga a shot. If you have any questions for my guest, please add them in the comments at the end of this article.

One Amazing Woman’s Experience with Yoga

Perley-Ann says that the benefits of yoga for older adults go way beyond the physical. Sure, it’s nice to feel more “stable,” physically – but, it’s equally important to feel grounded mentally.

She recognizes the fact that many people are skeptical about the benefits of yoga. This was certainly true for two of her students who had suffered strokes before taking up yoga. You won’t want to miss her description of the transformation that they experienced!

Chair Yoga Can Be an Easy Starting Point on Your Yoga Journey

Many women that I talk to are intimidated by the complicated yoga poses that they see on the Internet and in movies. Others have suffered from an injury or are concerned that they aren’t flexible enough to get started. If either of these scenarios sounds familiar, you may want to try chair yoga.

As Perley-Ann points out in our interview, chair yoga works all of your important muscle groups, while giving you a bit of extra security. It’s certainly not a cop out – even if it is more accessible for some of us older adults.

As an added bonus, chair yoga can give you a set of tools to use when you are on a long plane or train journey. When I took a month long train trip earlier this year, I found myself returning to my favorite chair yoga exercises again and again. Without them, my trip would have been much less comfortable!

I hope that you enjoy my latest conversation with Perley-Ann. You can read more of her work on her website. Now let’s get a conversation started!

Have you tried yoga? How about chair yoga? Do you agree with Perley-Ann that the benefits of yoga for older adults are as much mental as physical